


Terrible Teeth (Troublesome Truths)

by Little_Guy



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Bad Jokes, Bad Puns, Domestic Fluff, Families of Choice, Fluff, Gen, Pap has a biting problem, Platonic Relationships, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Doubt, Some Reset Angst, Temporary Character Death, Underfell Papyrus (Undertale), Underfell Sans (Undertale), Underfell Undyne (Undertale), Undyne is... a struggling baby lesbian, kind of a kid fic??
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:54:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23564857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Guy/pseuds/Little_Guy
Summary: “SANS!” Oh fuck. “YOU’RE NOT WEAK, THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS HAS THE STRONGEST MONSTER IN THE UNDERGROUND AS HIS BROTHER!” Oh, look at that, even his leg was stomping. Was this what those old ass books meant when they were talking about tantrums?“Uh, yeah bro, objectively I am.” Edge really could do better.The fucker lunges at him teeth bared and tears gleaming even as his cranium continues to blossom red. “YOU! ARE! NOT!”
Relationships: Papyrus & Sans (Undertale), Papyrus & Undyne (Undertale)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 59





	Terrible Teeth (Troublesome Truths)

**Author's Note:**

> I am here to once again (probably) disregard canon and write whatever the fuck I want. Though this is the first time i've written dialogue in all caps for a certain cool dude and tbh not a fan might go through and change it to what i normally do. Red does have an openly referenced and deep dive into a drinking problem, it is one of the shorter sections of this but i figured i should mention it just in case.

Red holds out the… creature at arm's length. “what the fuck is this, doc?” It was so… small and pathetic. “you figure out a way to construct free fuckin’ exp?”

Alphys huffs, pushing her glasses up not even trying to hide the distaste on her face. “ _ Hardly _ , do you think the royal scientist would even share such information with me? Let alone scum of the underground like you.”

He shakes the bundle, eyeing the way the other monster’s claws twitch. 

“You’re holding him wrong you idiot!” She doesn’t snatch the thing as she more so quickly tugs it out of the haphazard grip and awkwardly cradles it. “ _ He  _ is P-2… I’ve been referring to him as Papyrus when,” She hesitates, looking around the decrepit lab once more, “you know who isn’t around… he can’t stay here, Sans.”

Snorting he gives the thing a passing glance. Free exp, that’s all it was; even if being under the hands of Gaster was a rather shitty thing. “you really are becoming  _ soft bellied  _ if you think i’m going to take that fucking thi—“

“ _ Papyrus,”  _ it’s followed by a growl but nowhere as deep as Alphys’. Red glances at… Papyrus, a little more closely as the tiny monster wiggles in Alphys’ hold. “Look, he even knows you were a fellow experiment!” She holds the monster out to him with a stern look on her face as she stares down the admittedly, taller monster, her tail lashing around in agitation.

“i ain’t a fuckin’ orphanage alf,” He takes an odd sort of glee at the way Alphys’ face contorts at the human made monster created as entertainment from the humans. Deserved that shit for bringing up the past. There’s a another growl from Papyrus, a stupid sounding thing, high pitched and squeaky like the toys the dog squad occasionally found at the dump. “oh yer a tough guy are ya?”

He takes the bundle from Alphys letting the monster,  _ another  _ fucking skeleton, as if Red wasn’t e-fucking-nough for the bastard to torture; started creating babies like the sicko he was. He swings it, a smirk curling onto his skull as the other skeleton babbles angrily his sockets narrowed as they can manage. Tapping at the runt’s nose bridge and sending him back as if he was on a swing he turns back to Alphys, “so, what’s ol’ fuck face up t—ow! you little shit!”

The puny ass skeleton fucking  _ beamed  _ at him, as if  _ biting  _ him was a smart fucking move (though, to be fair, violence was pracically engrained in them all now), fuck. Alphys was right.

“Really?” And that was her  _ you’re an idiot why do I associate with you  _ voice, to which all he could really do was shrug and try to get the kid’s chompers off his damn finger. Alphys throws up her arms, a frustrated noise strangling itself from her throat as she hurries about the room digging in various piles, “I should have known that was all it would take! You and your… your inane fondness for anything that even  _ attempts  _ to beat your ass!”

What could he say? Red had a reputation, any monster that dared to stand up to him despite that (and the runt counted, damn it. Red knew he projected his intent even without focusing on it) gained some credit in his book, but this little guy, Red can’t help but tap at his nose again, just to watch him babble some kind of curse no doubt and chomp at his finger like an angry dog. “well now, ain't you a cute son of a bitch, huh?”

“Oh by the throne, you’ve known Papyrus for a few  _ minutes  _ and you’re acting like some.. Some… guardian from  _ Natsume _ ,” She shakes her head tugging out a bag of all things and dropping at Red’s feet, “These are his things.”

“mmhm,” He keeps tapping at Papyr— no. The runt needed something  _ more _ , “Yer fuckin’ name’s edge now you little shit.” Edge stopping crushing his fucking finger in his mouth for one minute, a too smart gleam in the little shit’s sockets before Red gets a  _ smile,  _ of all things; fuck the little shit was going to kill him. “none of that shrimp, save that for… for home?”

Fuck. Red didn’t know how to raise a kid, especially not one that was made for the same reason as him. 

“Oh, wonderful. Get out now,  _ he’s  _ going to come back soon,” Alphys is shoving at his back, muscles straining as she gets barely an inch. “Just, don’t let him get eaten, or, or blown up!”

“Yeah, yeah I ain’t gonna let the little shit die.” He was Red’s now, and Red took care of his shit… this little monster was going to get to grow up in this hellscape and Red was going to make damn sure they both fucking made it. Those smiles would have to end real quick outside or he’d be dusted as soon as he took his first step outside (and  _ no  _ his soul did not throb at the thought at all; he wasn’t no fucking weak monster).

Slinging the bag (fuck, what the hell was in the fuckin’ thing, christ) over his shoulder Red tucks the little shit closer to his soul, because even he knew that closness helped with bonding or some shit, not even bothered anymore when Edge turns his hand into his own personal chew toy. Little shit really was a little monster after his own soul. Red couldn’t wait to see the mayhem he'd cause as he grew.

“C’mon you little bastard, ‘m takin’ you to yer new home.” Little shit just gnaws harder, pudgy ass fingers curling loosely around his own to hold Red in place. Huffing, he holds on tighter as he opens a shortcut, making sure that Edge can’t see anything. Would probably blow the kid’s  _ brain  _ if he saw how it worked and Red really wasn’t in the business of cremation.

His boots thunk against the old wood of their home, lights creaking as they swing overhead casting shadows that Edge coos at, on the walls. “Cute little fucker aren’t ya?” It had been a long time since Red had ever been  _ that  _ small, it was fucking luck that Alphys had managed to get any monster out. “Yeah, yeah, a fuckin’ ego on you already welcome to the  _ bonezone _ , population, just the fuckin’ two of us.” 

Edge’s head starts to nod as Red shows him around, a real  _ dead  _ audience if you will. “I’m older so yer gonna fuckin’ listen or’ll feed you to the troupe of fido’s at the bar ya hear me,” The little skeleton’s eyes just droop, grip on Red’s fingers falling as he cuddles closer to the softness of Red’s jacket. He took that as a damn win, the kid wasn’t crying. “Yeah, thought so. This is the kitchen,”

Setting the runt’s bag on the table he ignores the squeal of distress the table lets out at the added weight, undoing the zip as quietly as he can lest the little shit decide that the quiet wasn’t nice and that he wanted to wail instead. Alphys had.. For lack of a better word, packed a ton of shit. Where the fuck had she even gotten it all?

“How th’ fuck you manage somethin’ like this Alf?” It’s a new shirt. A new,  _ clean  _ striped shirt. A rare fuckin’ find anywhere nowadays. “Look little shit, yer… aunt?” eh, he’d go with it until he could think of something better. “ Got ya quite a lot of shit.”

Edge blinks, small tears of magic coming to the surface as he lets out a yawn, his skull nuzzling into Red’s jacket again. The little shit was even grabbing it, no care in the world. Red would have to figure out how to get the kid to stop being so… open. “Yeah, yeah, not the greatest fuckin’ thing but it’ll help keep you alive when yer bigger,” Because really, the kid was like a damn shrimp, even Red was bigger than this. “Alf, fuckin’ feed you at all?”

The smaller skeleton lets out a grumble at the jostle as Red rummages in the beaten up fridge. It wasn’t much, but it was his dammit and he’d have to think fast on how he was supposed to watch the fuckin kid, feed him, and  _ work _ even if he didn’t even want to do the last bit. With a click of his teeth Red grabs the last bit of milk he’s gotten in the fridge, praying just a bit, that it’s not rotten. Snatching the bottle Alphys had (again, how the fuck?) found, he pours it in, feeding the runt carefully as he eases into his favorite sitting position.

On his back, on the couch, feet up on the arm. He could do this the runt was… oddly tame besides the whole biting thing, he could whip the kid into the perfect monster for the underground. Red would just… he’d have to make sure no one went after him. Stripes would help a bit, but soon as Edge flashed that little smile of his at anyone outside he’d be targeted.

Sighing he feels the skeleton wriggle in his bundle, bottle now empty, and cold bone snuffling as close to Red’s soul as he could. “Can’t fuckin’ put you in my ribcage kid,” Edge nips at the finger he tries to nudge him with, a soft sound of discontent starting up when Red takes it away, “None a-that you little shit,” and of course he quites down as soon as Red gives him something to sharpen his damn teeth on.

Guess he’d be looking for something the kid could tear the fuck up from the shops eventually. For now, it was nap time and he gets the feeling that as slow as the bites are, that Edge agrees. Everything else could wait for the next morning...

* * *

Y’know, there weren’t too many things that Red was proud of but, his little bro? The absolute coolest, the crazy little shit that he was. Red was proud of him.

“BROTHER IT IS THE BEAST!” Yup, this was his first nemesis, Lesser Dog, and boy, Red couldn’t be prouder. He watches as Edge lunges for the bigger monster, an amused smirk on his skull as Lesser Dog gives a fake yelp of pain at the frankly, pitiful bite that Edge uses; he  _ knew  _ what the little shit’s teeth could do. He had teething marks on his fucking ribs from where the runt had fallen asleep on top of him while growing up. And this was definitely not that.

He had, maybe, just maybe managed to convince (threaten) parts of the canine squad into helping him get Edge up to snuff for the underground it was going… it was going. “Kick his ass, bro!” This was going to take a while. He just had to keep this under wraps from the current head of the Royal Guard, Justine, or he’d ben  _ bone  _ deep in debt to her, probably have to watch her terror of a fucking daughter.

Red already had his damn hands full with  _ his  _ runt, he wasn’t going to look after any other fucking kids in the underground. Leaning against the stump he’d made trying to teach Edge how to use bone attacks he huffs when Lesser Dog tricks the runt into petting him. He loved the little fucker really, but. Red had to do  _ something  _ to beef up the kid. What if he wasn’t fucking home? What if the canine unit wasn’t in fucking town (because as much as those mutss fucking lied, they adored the runt. Gave them fucking bones to eat and pet them, and treated them  _ nicley) _ ? What if a fucking  _ human  _ got to him before Red obliterated them? Because,  _ nice  _ didn’t get to live down here.

“C’mon pipsqueak hit him! Or bite him!” Hell Red couldn’t even hit the dog for him, Edge had fucking burst into tears the first time Red had  _ tried  _ and christ he never wanted to deal with that shit again. To make matters worse Edge was still so fucking tiny; it wasn’t  _ natural.  _ Alyphys had never told him how the fuck Gaster made him, or what the bastard had done to him before Red was given him, but… his little buddy was too little for most babybones. “Harder, kid, I know you can do it! We can get, uh,” what the fuck did he talk about the other day? Mice-cream? No, nic— he didn’t even want to finish that sentence. Oh, fuck it. “We can uh, get some ice-scream?”

If he sounds like he’s close to having a fucking anuerism from prossibly making Edge upset from getting it wrong, well, Red would fucking haunt them. 

He still catches the look of absolute self-loathing Edge makes before he actually bites down (and Red is very familiar with the kid’s bites after being his damn chew toy so he knows damn well that the kid  _ still  _ wasn’t trying to cause a lot of harm), but Lesser Dog still gives that same fake yelp, licking at the kid’s skull before bounding off with an obviously fake sprain (not that Edge knew).

Sighing, Red slips his jacket over the runt’s shoulders and flicks the hood up to let him sniffle in peace as they make their way out of the woods, “Runt, really it’s…” He can’t say it’s not a big deal because it is to his little brother and while Red probably isn’t the best sibling (he could think of plenty right now that would be better, christ Alphys why did you pick me?), “It’ll get easier?”

“I DON’T WANT IT TO GET EASIER!” Fuck, Yeah, that probably wasn’t a better way of putting it now that he thoughout about it. “I DISLIKE HURTING MONSTER, BROTHER,” Yeah, he knew. Red wished they were somewhere  _ better _ , somewhere that he didn’t have to make his little brother cry. Somewhere that he didn’t have to leave  _ Papyrus,  _ his little brother and fragile hearted monster, home alone with the doors and windows locked so he wouldn’t get fucking dusted by some piece of shit.

He scratches at his skull at a loss for what to do, “hey, uh, bro.” There’s another sniffle, but Edge looks up at him, hands gripping the jacket so tight that the creases of his bones are easy to see, “forget about the uh, ice-scream, why don’t… why don’t I show you something cool instead? Something that’ll protect you.” Well, something that Red  _ would  _ use lethally to protect him. Only fucking good Gaster had ever done him; given him a fucking arsenal to destroy with.

“LIKE WHAT?” Edge doesn't even look fazed when Red drags them both behind a tree to slip the jacket off and asks him to try and hold in the tears; weakness was for privacy. Edge had to be a big bones in public… and lie.

Slouching, Red pastes on his signature snarl, claws curled into the collar of Edge’s striped shirt as he (carefully as he can keep hidden in public) drags him back home, “‘s none of yer damn business runt, what did I say about goin’ in there alone  _ bonehead _ ,” hell, the kid might not like jokes often but Red knew he liked them when they had to act like this. Once said that  _ it let’s me know you’re really not mad at me _ and Red’s soul had nearly shattered itself right then and there.

Edge huffs, pulling away from the grip like an angry cat on a leash, “I CAN GO OUTSIDE YOU MONGREL,” well, at least his runt of a brother could insult people easy enough. That was something at least. “YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!”

“Oh and you fuckin’ are?” He snorts, picking Edge up by the shirt cackling as he actually struggles to be put down; little bastard really did dislike being held. “Yer scrawny ass wouldn’t make it without me, the fuck am I ever gonna call you, Boss,” Eh, well.

That was already a plan set in motion. It was all fake of course but him and the canine squad were slowly raising the kid’s reputation through little stunts like this. If Edge fought back, even verbally it was better than nothing. 

“YOU WILL,” There was his amazing little bro, getting worked up just like they talked about! “I AM THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS, AND YOU WILL RUE THE DAY!”  _ rue  _ he was going to bust a fucking rib. 

Rolling his eyes he tosses his bro over his shoulder like a sack of rare potatoes, proud of the fact the his runt of a brother kept the charade of kicking, punching and an  _ actual  _ fucking bite that caused him to yelp when Edge decided that he’d been held for too damn long. Little bastard was lucky Red loved him so much or he might’ve thrown his bony ass in the snow for the sneaky move. 

“A’right you little terror, before I show you shit where th’ hell you learn rue from?” Because if there was any quick way to cheer Edge up it would be talking about his hobbies.

And just like every other time his little bro gets to show him something new, Edge lights up like a Gyftmas Star, his little feet nearly tripping over themselves as he reaches for the junior jumble he’d picked up for the kid that morning.

“HERE BROTHER, THE FRUITS OF MY LABOR, OH AND A PUZZLE DESIGN,” man his little bro was the coolest.

Carefully taking both sheets of paper Red hums, looking over them with a critical eye. They were good, his puzzles were definitely getting more elaborate as the days went on, but good. He scuffs the runt’s skull playfully, “y’know, soon ‘nough yer gonna outgrow yer weak bro, kid.”

He looks down when the house falls silent for too long, confused by the rather odd use of red magic Edge was creating; the kid had  _ never  _ used it before. His whole cranium was boiling.

“SANS!” Oh fuck. “YOU’RE NOT WEAK, THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS HAS THE STRONGEST MONSTER IN THE UNDERGROUND AS HIS BROTHER!” Oh, look at that, even his leg was stomping. Was this what those old ass books meant when they were talking about tantrums?

“Uh, yeah bro, objectively I am.” Edge really could do better.

The fucker  _ lunges  _ at him teeth bared and tears gleaming even as his cranium continues to blossom red. “YOU! ARE! NOT!” Red catches him with a blaster by reflex alone, not used to his usually docile little brother acting up. “PUT ME DOWN! AND SAY YOU’RE STRONG.”

“Uhhh, bro, c’mon now,” 

Edge wriggles, waving his hands in frustration as he bops the blasters skull in his universal symbol of  _ I want down, I’m tired of these games! _ Of course, all it really gets is an amused rumble from the thing as Red, reels from the whole thing.

“BROTHER,” he looks at the grumpy ass again, brow bone raised as he slouches against the couch; this would end soon. The little shit would tire himself out. “YOU LOOK OUT FOR ME, AND ONLY STRONG MONSTERS DO THAT.” Uh, guess he  _ did  _ have a point there, Red did look out for them both. Edge perks up when he notices the expression of conflict on his older brother’s skull, “SO YOU ARE  _ OBJECTIVELY  _ STRONG ARE YOU NOT.”

Easing the blaster closer to the ground he watches in vague amusement as the thing nuzzles at Edge’s skull. Even the things meant for just destruction liked his bro, man Edge really was the coolest. “I, uh, I guess?”

Not really? 

The red starts to bleed away as he makes a beeline for Red’s legs, pudgy arms forcing themselves around them, “THEN SAY YOU’RE STRONG. I’M NOT MOVING UNTIL YOU DO.”

Looking down at the little shit, a sigh forces itself from him as he rests a careful hand on his littkr bro’s skull. “‘M… strong…”

A tighter squeeze to his legs. “AGAIN!”

Huffing out a laugh (because this was ridiculous! Red was supposed to be the one cheering up his  _ younger  _ brother not… not the other way around), he leans forward until his skull rests against his hand, entire frame enfolding his little brother in an awkward hug. “‘M strong,”

Edge squirms, arms moving to his waist to return the awkward as best he could with his too short (too small, too fragile, too  _ everything  _ no matter what Red fed him; fuck the kid was right. They were still going strong, because they both  _ are _ ). “AGAIN!”

Squeezing tight, Red tugs the light of his life as close to his soul as he could (that trembling  _ thump thump thump  _ echoing in his skull; he wished he could put the little bastard in his rib cage and keep him from fucking world out to destroy them both) fingers shaking, “‘m strong you little shit! An’ll punt yer short ass all th’ way ya Hotland if you pull something like this again.”

He wouldn’t, Red would never be able to hurt his little brother; but, affection and vulnerability was difficult, the underground had all but killed him for it. Edge made it look so easy. Kids really could help, couldn’t they?

“Love you,” it’s quiet, hesitant in a way that Edge never is, and for a moment, a traitorous moment Red thinks his soul bursts (and wouldn’t that be pathetic? A little affection is what kills him) from the sacred admittance. They’d never used the… L word, it wasn’t said in their unground,  _ that  _ was shown through providing a safe place, food on the table, an occasional bed time story. “You’re the best big brother… ‘m proud to have you.”

He crumbles.

Pulling the smaller skeleton so tight he’s scared that it  _ hurts _ Red projects as much  _ positive  _ emotions that he can muster, still unable to say such a simple word. “I care for you too, you little shit,” he couldn't say it yet, but his little brother knew what he meant.

“I KNOW,” the smaller skeleton wriggles out of the hug, a proud grin on his little skull. “AND I REMEMBER YOU SAID YOU COULD SHOW ME SOMETHING NEAT BUT…” he scuffs his boots together, one of the nervous ticks that Red could never really get him to stop. “DO YOU THINK WE COULD GET ICE-SCREAM INSTEAD?”

“You’ll remember what we talked about while outside?” Because he wanted to agree readily, without restriction. Unfortunately they weren’t high enough in the hierarchy to do so without having to be smart… one day though.

Edge nods so quickly that he can’t keep in the snort at the audible crack the little skeleton’s form lets out from the sudden movement, he was like a fucking  _ tin man  _ sometimes. “I WILL! I AM NOT AS GREAT AND TERRIBLE AS WE DISCUSSED YET, BUT LEAVE IT TO ME TO SUCCEED IN THIS GRAND JAPE!”

Red thunks a finger against his skull carefully, “atta boy, now there’s a cowardly salesman for us ta swindle ain’t there?”

Edge gives a little salute (Christ he had to get the kid away from the canine unit or he would turn into a damn dog) his eyelights briefly flickering into stars before settling into their normal shape just like Red had taught him.

Yeah, ice-scream would do them both some good. They’d get through the hell that was home together. His little shit was going to keep him going, and Red was going to make sure his little bro grew up safe as he could.

* * *

“... ‘nother drink?” Red’s head lolls as he stares up at the fire monster, thoughts awhirl as the place swims in and out of sight.  _ Fuck _ . 

“Ye’h gimme a-nother,” How long had he been here this time? Scrubbing at his face Red squints searching for the clock— bingo! Thing was as broken as it was every other fucking night he wound up here. Christ, he needed to get  _ home _ , the runt, he fucking, he  _ needed  _ Red (no he doesn’t you sack of bones, look at yourself. You really want your kid brother seein’ this?), he was.. He was supposed to…

He didn’t remember. With a heavy thunk his skull rests against the chill of the bar counter, a nice break from the otherwise smoldering furnace that was taking place in his bones. Fuck, Papyrus deserved better than a fucking co-dependent skeleton; he did. All honesty, no self-depreciation intended. Red was, christ he was a mess now.

Fuck, why was he even here?

With a struggling blink he eyes the glass of… was that fucking  _ water? _ “Thought’ya said you didn’t touch tha’ shit?” It’s all slurred together, angry consonants and rumbled inflection all ticking closer to a big boom. He wouldn't let his little bastard see him like this. Red wasn’t strong, he’d fucking  _ failed _ . 

Grillby sniffs, the purple flames swirling over his head arching in disgust as he heat dries a glass, “You can’t go home like this, it’s a bit much even for  _ you _ ,”

“ _ I ain’t fuckin’ goin’ home _ ,” There’s so much heat packed into each syllable that a bone manifests with each one, lodging themselves into the back wall. See? He wasn’t in no fucking condition to go home and (confront the body that shouldn’t be there? Witness his once there-now not dust scattered over the floor?  _ Shut up!) _ , and see the brat. Fuck, he’d failed; he couldn’t even manage to keep the one fucking promise he’d made to himself. He really needed to stop with the promises.

He’d seen it and then nothing. As if that fucking abomination had never even  _ touched  _ his brother,  _ stabbed him, cut him, destroyed him—  _ he’d been too late. Then Papyrus was back, excited to see him, working on his puzzles, on a costume because of some  _ human  _ holiday he read about, and Red. Fled. Like a coward; scenes playing the back of his mind, tearing cracks into his skull with each replay.  _ What the fuck had it been? _ Why did no one remember? 

Would it happen again? Fuck he hoped not. He didn’t want to be late again, so, so  _ useless _ . 

Red couldn’t go home, not right now when every bone part of his body was high strung and twitchy with alcohol. He’d do something he’d regret he  _ knows  _ he would. He wasn’t strong right now like Edge believed him to be, and Red refused to let him see him like this.

“The fuck are you going to do then?” He snarls up at Grillby, gold tooth shining in the flames as he sways in his seat, magic unresponsive as he tries to lob  _ anything  _ at the other monster. Heat envelops his skull as Grillby, pushes him into the counter a hiss to his words as the scent of burning wood fills the space, “You’re fucking  _ past  _ this you little shit. I would’ve allowed it before because you didn’t have someone that  _ relied  _ on you,” It was the truth. Grillby had always been complacent in his bad habits, offering drink after drink on a tab they both knew he’d never pay off. And then the fucker had  _ snooped _ . Found out that good ol’ fucking Sansy boy had a kid brother, and then the bastard put him on a limit; the prick. Stupid fucking Grillby, and his shitty ass morals when it came to family. “Now? Now you’re going to get your  _ shit together _ , go the fuck home, and deal with whatever is bothering you instead of  _ running away!” _

Because that’s what he did. Ignored problems. Got defensive when they were brought up. Red hated dealing with shit. Even if he owed Papyrus of all monsters an attempt.

“... do I make myself  _ clear?” _ His skull creaks at the added pressure, the snarl on his face crumbling like wet paper as he whimpers, thankful that the crackle of flames hides everything at the bar. 

“As a fukin’ blaze,” With a groan he lifts his head, mumbling curse after curse under his breath as the other monster piles enough glasses of water to drown a fucking whale in his direction. Red really didn’t consider himself lucky, he  _ didn’t  _ want to confront any of this shit, especially after no one else seemed to remember any of it. “M’I fuckin’ free to go yer  _ flammableness? _ ”

Grillby tosses a fucking fire ball for his trouble; he knows the bastard was fucking laughing as h scrambled to leave the hellhole on still fucked up feet.

Christ, he didn’t want to deal with this. 

Racking a hand down his face Red power walks home, the cold forcing the last alcohol induced jitters out of his system from the sheer animosity from each fucking flake. How the fuck did it even  _ snow  _ in the undergroud? It didn’t make any fucking sense!

When he makes it to their house Red rocks on his heels, hands curled tight in his pockets as he works himself up to open the door. Why was this so fucking difficult? He… Red was supposed to be Edge’s cool older brother, and he just wasn’t— ah fuck. He didn’t even get the time to unscramble his thoughts.

Of course the little shit would know when he arrived, they were both so attuned to each other’s soul signature that it’d be impossible for them  _ not  _ to know where the other was. 

Still. The door’s open, and his kid (not really now, he is getting a little taller, still short and slight for a monster his age, but growing) brother looks up at him from the wedge, a concerned crease to his eyes, to his mouth, to his  _ everything.  _ It nudges open a bit more, and Red can’t help it. He slouches in an attempt to hide just how  _ rattled  _ he is, “I, UH, I MADE DINNER?” Christ, he really didn’t deserve a little brother like Edge; the kid acted oblivious, but he always knew when something was bothering someone. And if it was safe to press or not. “IF YOU HAVE THE… STOMACH FOR IT?”

He howls, shoulders shaking at the very obvious attempt to cheer him up as he scoops up the shorter skeleton who curses in return,  _ no down! You fucking beast I said down! I am too old for these shenanigans!  _ They both know it isn’t true though, by the way that Edge clings extra tight to his neck in a hug, or the way that most of food is piled high on  _ Red’s  _ plate (even if, he manages to sneak it back on to Edge’s the kid was still so  _ tiny)  _ and the way he doesn’t leave his side even after dinner. 

“Thanks kiddo,” Edge just hums, skull knocking against his knee from where he’s drawing, no doubt another ‘trap’ (he didn’t have the heart to tell the kid that he wouldn’t be able to catch  _ anything _ with them; Edge got so excited. Besides, if another human dropped down Red would make sure he fucking blew their head in) to show off in a few hours. “I, uh, I shouldn't've left you alone,”

“IT’S OKAY,” It’s not. Edge  _ still  _ couldn’t really protect himself, offensively at least. The kid had mastered defensive fighting already. Red was supposed to be here to protect him (he wasn’t supposed to fail; he was created as a weapon. He should at least be able to protect the  _ one  _ monster he cared about) not… not leave him here alone in a big decrepit house alone. “I KNOW THAT I’M NOT… ABLE TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING, BUT I AM ALWAYS HERE IF YOU NEED ME.”

He gives the smaller monster a short hug, ignoring the images of dust that flicker in his head, “i know, bro… ‘s just,”

“BAD HEAD DAY?” That was the phrase they came up with, it hadn’t really meant much, but. It was perfect right now.

“Yeah, just a bad head day.”

“WOULD,” He feels Edge shift next to his knee, fingers tapping nervously at the table, “WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ YOU A STORY?” That was… sweet. “YOU ALWAY DO FOR ME SO…”

“Nah, bro.” He squeezes at Edge’s shoulder, his own feeling less heavy as he watches the younger monster relax against his knees again. “This is enough, i think i just need a slow day is all.”

“THEN, JUST THIS ONCE YOU’RE ALLOWED TO BE A LAZY BONES! THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS WILL TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING!” Huffing out a laugh, Red scoops him up, ignoring the squeal of indignation lets out before he starts trying to nip at the fingers Red used to tickle at his rib cage, feet and arms swinging out, “NO! I AM MUCH TOO OLD FOR, FOR SUCH,” 

He tickles the smaller monster mercilessly, his own grin growing in size as Edge loses an internal battle, his little form shaking with the intensity of his laughter, “too old fer what? Yer  _ funny bones _ , seems like yer making a real  _ coccyxphony,”  _ There’s even an hiccuped,  _ I do not agree with such, such low bar humor! _ Even as Red can see way his little bro is beaming, “ah, c’mon Edge,  _ humer-ous  _ just for today?”

Red knows he’s won when the little shit tries to retaliate, though nowhere as good as him, the certified, bone specialist and bone-afide Edge entertainer. 

He would do better. No nasty fucking human was going to take  _ this  _ from him again; this was one of the few forms of happiness Red have left.

* * *

Red’s fucking babysitting service. That’s what he fucking was now. He gets caught  _ once  _ with the canine unit and miss crabby herself punishs him with the worst fucking thing in all of the underground; her prickly as fuck kid. Because,  _ oh Red, it looks like you’re doing just fine with one, why don’t you actually earn your kelp for once? _

He fucking hated Justine. Great jokes, easy job, hated her fucking kid. Was a bully of a damn clown and it wasn’t like Red could actually get away with doing something so really all he could hope is that Edge somehow managed without him being able to do much.

Such as this. They were in Waterfall. Worst fucking place, it was  _ damp  _ it smelled like  _ fish _ and the fucking terror was trying to goad his little brother into a fight.

“Stop running you coward! Fight me like a real monster!” Where the fuck had fish-stick even gotten the damn  _ spear _ ? Sitting on a rock Red sighs, god he wished he had something to drink, like some mustard or hell he’d take normal water over the brine he could get here. Maybe she’d tire herself out trying to chase Edge? “What, your failure of a brother raise a wimp?” Ah. well. There goes any kind of peace.

“SANS IS NOT A FAILURE!” And there were the teeth. He was just a little proud at how protective his little bro was, Edge was  _ his  _ little monster dammit and he raised him right! So honestly, (fucking liar, you petty ass) all Red could do was watch Edge’s real first brawl with pride in his eyes.

It was just a normal friendly brawl, they happened all the time in the underground. Plus, it was kind of nice for someone  _ else  _ to understand how much Edge’s teeth fucking hurt, the little bastard. So, Red let them tumble for a while, careful to float fish sticks spear far the fuck away from his little bro; because really, it didn’t fucking matter what the rules were. If fish stick  _ skewered  _ Edge, well, they’d be having sushi for dinner.

Besides, how much damage could they really do to one another? They were kids— and he spoke too soon. Scrambling from his seat, Red tries to seperate them. “Edge, no! That’s fuckin’ nasty,” He  _ has  _ fish stick’s fin in his fucking teeth, the other monsters claws in his  _ eye socket  _ and Red needed them apart right fucking now. “ _ Drop her!  _ And you fish-face, get yer nasty fucking claws  _ out _ ,”

Undyne does so with an oddly wet sound, and Red’s mind blanks as he tosses the fish monster far a-fucking-way from them, not even caring that she lets out an angered roar. She was a resilient fucking thing in a way that  _ Edge  _ wasn’t he had no fucking LV, bare minimum fucking stats. Not like Red of course, but he knew how to fight, to lie, to  _ decimate.  _ Edge didn’t. He didn’t have poison in his veins yet.

There was marrow. Cradling the smaller monster’s skull in his hands, Red curses, scooping the little bastard up and turning fish stick’s soul blue, as he jogs to the closet shop. Edge squirms is socket squeezed shut, “RED ‘S FINE!”

“Yeah, see he doesn’t think it’s a big deal you stupid skeleton!” He glowers at the fish monster pulling her closer. “A’right, a’right mom has some Sea Tea in the cabinets… I don’t know what your damn deal is. Your brother fought like an animal!” Of course crazy would see that as a great thing, and normally Red might agree, but his brother was losing  _ hp. _

He turns around dashing for the damn house, not even bothering to care that Undyne’s head connected with the top of the frame, a short  _ fuck you! _ Coming from her as Red hurries to brew the disgusting tea. 

“RED, ‘M FINE!” HE just give him a look, appeased when Edge’s shoulder’s hunch in on themselves, his petulant pout turning into a scowl as he tries not to wipe at the mess that is his eye, “I HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO TAKE HITS IF I’M GOING TO JOIN THE GUARD!” When had the kid come up with a crazy dream like that?

“Hah! As if a pathetic animal like you could beat my mom!” Oh fuck Red would figure it out just to spite fish face, “... It  _ was  _ pretty cool though, mom’s gonna love the scars!” Okay, Undyne had a few rights, but she was on thin fucking ice. 

“REALLY?” Oh, Christ, Pap, no. “I WOULD… NOT BE AVERSE TO FURTHER SPARRING LESSONS WITH YOU?” Red wanted to cave his fucking skull in with the counter. Of course, Edge would try and befriend the monster that just gave him his first scar, and of course that same monster would be a nutjob to encourage him. Fuck why couldn’t the kid give them a break just once (because then he wouldn’t be your cool little bro).

“Cool! Not too many monsters that try to rumble wit’me ‘cause of my mom,” Yeah, Justine was a real hardass. She passed it onto her kid too apparently. “We’re gonna blast the rookies of the guard to smithereens when we’re older! Uh, bonehead,” Red feels his brow twitch as he passes the two cups of tea to them both, and yes Edge’s had more; he couldn’t care less about fish sticks right now. “What’re your names?”

“Really, fish face?” She just shrugs. Ugh. Way to pick them Pap. “‘s Red and Edge, and you better fuckin’ use ‘em.”

“I’ll use Edge’s, but you're still a damn bonehead until you stop callin’ me that asshole.” Great. A small monster with a need to bark at everything that was bigger than them.. Well at least Edge, sort of made his first friend? “Got that! ‘M gonna get real strong so I can kick your ass!”

“Yeah, sure kid, whatever you say.” He drops her, knowing that it was petty to let her fall from the counter edge. “Look, your kitchen is fucking  _ baren _ , so as long as you stay civil you can join me an’ Edge to the store.” Because damn, Justine feed your kid.

“I can be fuckin’ civil!” Yeah, sure. 

“Then finish yer fuckin’ tea. Edge, c’mere,” He swipes at the last bits of marrow surrounding the socket… it wasn’t terrible, they could use it. “You fuckin’ won against fish face, got a real scar and yer probably goin’ ta get more,” His little bro nods like a champ, Edge wasn’t violent by nature, but this was a good first experience for a fight tha led to injuries could be like. “You do the same shit you did to fish face if you ever get into ‘nother fight ya hear me?”

“I WILL,” It’s still hesitant as Red is certain he will always be when it comes to harming other monsters, but Edge keeps his promises. Every single one of them.

“Yeah! I’ll teach you how to kick ass, Edge!” and the terror. Christ. Though, he approved, just a smidgen, an atom’s amount.

He just nods. Leading them out to the store, Undyne kept on a magic leash as she tries to terrorize  _ everything _ . And shopping was great. It was fine. They got what they could from too expensive fucking shop, Edge got some hard candy (a real rarirty) and then they lost Undyne. One second they we’re fucking paying because now Red had the money too, and they lost fish stick.

He passes some of the bags to Edge when they exit the store, “Watch this,” Because if his suspicion was right, the volatile as fuck kid liked Edge, probably her first fuckin’ friend too. Plus, there was no one else outside so it was free game. “Payrus fuckin’ sucks!” He hears Edge snicker from next to him, clearly catching on.

It took all of a second before they heard the roar, Undyne lunging out a window, her little spear at the ready, “Who the fuck wants their ass beat!”

Red nudges his little brother’s shoulder, pleased by the look of pure joy on his face by the fact that someone else would get up in arms for him.

… Undyne had a pass in his book now. She would be good for his little brother and no doubt, he would be good for her.

* * *

They’d done it. It took fucking forever but, him, Edge, Undyne, and  _ even  _ Alphys in her usual sneaky way, had tricked the entirety of the fucking undergound. And fuck, was Red proud.

“Can’t believe we really managed this,” That was Undyne, sprawled out on their couch, no longer threadbare but now full and colorful. “How the hell did we manage this?” And she’s laughing full bellied and wild as she’s always been. They were waiting for Edge to get back from his first day. 

“Lot’s of fuckin’ planning kid,” He rests his head against the arm of the couch. They’d finished making (well more like attempting to make) pasta for when he came back. It was still Edge’s favourite dish even after all these years. “We fuckin’ did it though… you think he’s going to be okay?” Because even now, when Edge was grown and capable of defending himself Red worried about him, that was his little brother how couldn't he?

“I think so… if not he’s always got us y’know and uh,” A blush spread high across her cheeks and Red cackles, fish face was terrible at hiding her crush. “... Alphy, she uh, she’d always help too… probably that robot too.” 

“Yeah, that’s true… just don’t want it to come down to—” Oh. fuck. He scrambles out of his sitting position, Undyne doing much the same when Edge walks through the door, his shoulders slumped, the suit of armor (his battle body as he had called it) scarred to hell and back as he stumbles inside. “Fuck, Pap…. what happened?’ Part of him didn’t want to know; the other part, the more feral  _ an eye for an eye, tooth for a fucking tooth  _ part of him wanted to rend whatever hurt him to shreds.

“‘M FINE,” He didn’t sound fine, choked and on the precipice of crying. HIs teeth knock together, an ugly grinding sound forcing its way to light before Red pries open his mandible to stop him.

“No, Pap, that’s… you haven’t done that since you were... “ Since he was a child, still learning how to deal with his biting problem. Out of the corner of his socket he sees Undyne return with a blanket old and tattered and  _ red, red, red  _ that she drapes over his shoulders, taking on his hands in hers as she sits next to him. They both knew he wouldn’t budge right now, so all they could do was look after him; what happened had passed. They would deal with it later. “Let’s… let’s get you something to eat alright? And, and that angry fucking man that cooks? We can put him on, that sounds good, bud?”

They get a barely there nod, Edge huddling into his old ratty blanket as Undyne tucks his head against her shoulder. Out of the three of them he was fragile, emotionally. But they’d make sure he would be fine. “I’ll get the film, you uh, you get the dish?”

Even though he trusts Undyne he still doesn’t like leaving his little brother when something has upset him, but he finds himself nodding anyway, making three plates of… pasta before hurrying back to tuck against the only remaining side of his little bro. “‘S yer favorite, it ain’t one of yer masterpieces or northin’, but we hope you like it,”

Edge gives them a smile, a short quirk of his skull as he eats, the evening of his shoulders being the only reason they feel comfortable enough to eat too, all the while the angry ass human on their tv criticizes people’s cooking skills. Red thinks that if they ever met him in real life they’d either hate him or Edge would be so stunned he’d forget to say anything.

Undyne snorts, “Look, look he’s doin’ the fucking idiot sandwich bit!” She jostles her shoulder against Edge’s grin growing wide when he laughs, stumbling to make sure he doesn’t drop his plate. “We gotta do that one day, when we’re teching’ bonehead how to cook a’right?”

“I take offense to that,”

“You can’t take offense to shit. Pap and I both know you’re the most likely victim of being an idiot sandwich, don’t we, Pap?”

“YOU HAVE MADE SOME ODD… CULINARY CHOICES,” Hey, that was good he was talking again. “REMEMBER WHEN YOU PUT THAT EGG IN THE MICROWAVE? TRULY, NO GREATER CULINARY DISASTER HAS EVER GRACED THESE WALL, DEAR BROTHER!”

“Heh, yeah, it was an  _ eggcellent  _ idea y’know,” Undyne wheezes as his brother groans into her shoulder, a smile still on his face. “”Figured the whole  _ scramble _ would make a perfect way to start the day  _ sunny-side up _ .”

“Christ, look,” She can’t even get the words out as Edge’s skull twists up into a look of indignation, “Fuckin’ feeling better champ?”

“YES AND I HATE IT!” She just slings an arm around his spine to dig her knuckles into his skull cackling all the while, “NO! DO NOT NOOGIE THE SKELETON!”

Yeah, they would make sure he would be just fine.

* * *

This… place was odd. Red isn’t really sure  _ what  _ happened, but they were on the surface. The  _ surface! _

“Pap, look,” He can feel the tears streaming down his face, Undyne just as fucking messed up as him as her tears plop against his skull like a never ending rain. “‘S the fukin’ sun,”

“We can see that you fuckin’ goober,” She sniffs, gloves rubbing at her eyes with a rough hand, arms tightening around their spines in her signature hug. “It’s fuckin’ beautiful, why didn’t you tell us about it earlier!”

Edge laughs, wet and eager just like them. “IT IS MAGNIFICENT, PERHAPS EVEN MORE SO THAN MY MAGNIFICENT SELF!”

Red snorts at the same time Undyne does, “nah, boss, yer our fuckin’ universe,”

“Fuck, that was sappy… he’s right though, Pap,” she knocks their heads together grin bright as he takes in the view of the son and the city below, “We totally have to get a place, throne fuckin’ knows if we life without, Pap we’ll be struggling to live by the Uh…  _ rules  _ of this place.”

Yeah, she was right… humans were everywhere, and if one of ‘em hurt their little brother the rules didn’t matter, but. They’d try, for Papyrus, this was a place he could thrive.

**Author's Note:**

> Edge: bro do you want to go around the world?  
> Undyne: Yeah bro  
> Edge: Same Bro  
> Undyne: *Goes around Edge*  
> Edge: Why did you go around me bro?  
> Undyne: Cause you're my whole world bro


End file.
